Sorry to answer you so late. I am not sure about the options. And morning or afternoon slot does not make a big difference. Spotting animals involves patience and luck. Decide what suits you best

I stayed at Haridwar which is a 1hr drive from the airport. You can then have to work with your hotel which will arrange for the Safari. The Chilla Gate of the park is 8 kms from Haridwar (har ki pauri). Else the northern gate of the Park is a few kms away from Jolly Grant airport. But I am not sure of the stay options there. You may then like to stay in a hotel in Dehradun instead.

One should avoid the summer and monsoon time. Because the road is very uneven. Besides this you have to ride an open jeep. The jeeps are mostly in very bad condition.

No. You have to leave your car at the parking space of the park.

Rajaji Tiger Reserve (earlier known Rajaji National Park) is the 48th Tiger Reserve of India. Situated in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand State. The picturesque beauty and rich biodiversity of the Reserve serve as its major attractions for Nature lovers, Bird Watchers as well as Wildlife enthusiasts.The park has been created in 1983 by amalgamation of three sanctuaries- Rajaji sanctuary(estd. 1948) Motichur sanctuary (estd. 1964) and Chilla sanctuary(estd. 1977) after the name of renowned Statesman and Freedom fighter Sri C. Rajgopalachariya - The first and last Governor General of Independent India popularly known as "Rajaji". The park is spread over an area of 820.42 sq. km. in three Districts- Dehradun, Haridwar & Pauri Garhwal of Uttarakhand State, India. The Park has got the largest area representing Shiwalik Eco-system. The Shivalik trail is 10 million year old and very rich in fossils. It's fossils faunal remains include about 50 species of elephant, one of them is present today. The majestic Ganges flows through the National Park for a distance of 24km, besides the innumerable streams and brooks making it rich and diverse. It offers ample opportunities to nature lovers to enjoy the captivating landscape and wildlife. Rajaji is thickly foliated predominantly by the Rajaji is thickly foliated predominantly by the Sal Forest and a number of other forest types which include the Western Gangetic Moist and Northern dry Deciduous and Khair-Sissoo forests. Low Alluvial Savannah Woodlands cover the drier southern margins of the park, in contrast to the Shiwalik Chir-Pine on the high reaches of the hills. Nestled between the Shivalik ranges and the Indo-Gangetic plains. Broadleaved deciduous forests, riverine vegetation, scrubland, grasslands and pine forests form the range of flora at these parks. The dense jungles here are home to vivacious wildlife here. The varied topography of the Reserve is also responsible for vivid animal life inhibited here. The under-wood is light and often absent. The trees consisting of Rohini (Malollotus philippinensis), Amaltas (Cassia fistula),Shisham ( Dalbergia sissoo), Sal ( Shorea robusta) , Palash ( Butea monosperma ) ,Arjun ( Terminalia arjuna ) Khair ( Acacia catechu ) Baans ( Dendrocalamus strictus ), Semul ( Bombax ceiba ) Sandan (Ougeinia Oojeinensis), Chamaror, (Ehretia laevis), Aonla (Emblica officinalis), Kachnar (Bauhienia variegata), Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana), Chilla (Casearia tomentosa), Bel (Aegle Marmelos), etc. The park is home to the Tiger, Leopard, Himalayan Bear, Cheetal, Swamp deer, barking deer, Sambar deer, Nilgai, Goral , wild boar, Jackal, white striped Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Civets, Himalayan Yellow-Throated Marten, Sloth Bears, Pythons, King Cobra, Common Krait, Indian Cobra, Monitor Lizard and above all the Asian Elephant. A total of 312 birds species has been recorded. Of these , 151 are residents, 87 migrants, and 49 are altitudinal migrants, 7 are local migrants, while the status of the remaining 18 is unknown. For some species, Rajaji forms the western edge of their range, e.g. Great Pied Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) and Golden - fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons) (Pandey et al. 1995). The Common Green Magpie (Cissa chinensis), a denizen of Broadleaf Evergreen and Moist Deciduous forest, has been reported from the forest adjoining Rajaji NP, which links it with Corbett National Park. Rajaji Tiger Reserve is extremely rich in forest birds. For example, it has 11 species of woodpeckers, 5 species of barbets and 3 species of hornbills including the near threatened Great Pied Hornbill. Under the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area, Stattersfield et al. (1998) have listed Brooks's Leaf - warbler (Phylloscopus subviridis) and Tytler's Leaf- warbler (Phylloscopus tytleri) as restricted range species. Both species are winter migrants to the Park (Pandey et al. 1995). According to Birdlife International (undated) classification of biomes, Rajaji Tiger Reserve is located in Sino - Himalayan Subtropical Forest(Biome-8). However, it has more species of Biome - 7 (Sino-Himalayan Temperate Forest. A total of 112 species have been identified in Biome - 7, and Rajaji Tiger Reserve has 12 of them, all recorded in winter. There is a Dam on the River Ganga near Haridwar city . The backwater of the reservoir, as well as a small stretch of the River Ganga, lie in the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. These water bodies attract a lot of resident and migratory waterbirds during winters. Thirteen species of birds have been identified at the reservoir, including Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), Black - Necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus). Frerruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca) and Black - bellied Tern (Sterna acuticauda), birds considered as Near Threatened by BirdLife International (2001). How to Reach : The best way to enjoy Safaris in Rajaji Tiger Reserve is to arrive in Haridwar to make a base & then from there we have Chilla Range as the most popular Range for safaris, followed by Ranipur Range, Motichur Range all at a distance of 9 kms from Haridwar centre. Air : Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 33km. Jolly Grant Airport which is only a few kilometers away from the Northern Boundary of the Park has a daily around 9 flights from Delhi. Rail : Nearest railhead is at Haridwar ( 8 Km.), Dehradun (56Km.) and Rishikesh (18 Km). Road : The Rajaji Tiger Reserve is 220 kms. from Delhi & from Lucknow it is at a distance of 510km.Chilla is 8 Km. from Haridwar Railway Station which is well connected to major cities and 24 Km. from Rishikesh. Rajaji Tiger Reserve is situated along the foothills of Shivalik ranges in the Himalayan foothills and represents the Shivalik eco-system. On the map it is located between Haridwar (Latitude 290 56’ 40”) and Dehradun (Latitude 300 20’ North) and 790 80’ E Longitude (Dehradun 780 01’ 15” E (Ramgarh), Chillawali- 770 54’ 30” East). Altitude: 300 meters to 1350 meters.

Is it absolutely must book a car with a driver and a guide? And the approximate price of this. YES. IT IS MUST TO BOOK A CAR (GYPSY JEEP) AUTHORIZED BY THE FOREST DEPARTMENT. IT IS COMPULSORY TO TAKE ALONG A FOREST GUIDE. The jeep charges will be between Rs 2000/- to Rs 2500/- (depending on number of tourists). The charges might be slightly higher for foreign nationals

1) It is jungle out there 2) But the animals are more cautious / disciplined than a human being 3) It is by and large safe to be in a jungle in a vehicle. However you have to respect the animals and maintain some distance. Especially mother elephants Iwith a baby elephant), Tigress (with cubs). All mothers are protective. The forest guide and the jeep driver are trained for above aspects 4) Chila entry gate of the Rajai National Park is just 6 t0 10 Kms from Haridwar. You can stay at any hotel in Haridwar. You will have to drive down in your car to the entry gate or take a taxi. Or you can stay at the forest rest house located at the entry gate to the forest. Or GMVN resort which is close to the entry gate. Or a couple of private resorts which are expensive. 5) It will be dusty and hot in summers. Cold and dusty in winters. Please plan protective layers for the child accordingly 6) There is no rest room / or anything for 3.5 hours of the safari. Please factor this aspect. Or you can ask the guide / driver to plan 1 or 2 hour safari only (they will take U-turn and come back (instead of comleting the full circuit

1) Rajaji National Park is spread over 900 Sq. Kms. And there are 4 entrance gates (Chilla, Motichur, Ranipur and Jhilmil). 2) Chilla entrance gate is the most popular and preferred entry gate for the wildlife enthusiasts. Around 40 jeeps are available for the safari. On weekends almost all the jeeps get booked for the safari. The jeep driver himself acts as a guide. Even though there are a dozen forest guides specialized for this work. (There are 4 jeeps available for safari at Motichur) {Ranipur is famous for Leopard sightings) (Jhilmil is famous for Sambar Deer and Swamp deer) 3) Safari in Chilla zone takes about 4 hours to cover a distance of about 40 Kms. 4) Safari in Motichur zone takes about 2 hours to cover a distance of about 14 Kms. 5) The morning safari starts around 6 am in summers & 7 am in winters. The afternoon safari starts at 3 pm in summers & 2 pm in winters. 6) The safari at Chilla lasts almost 3~4 hours to cover the distance of 35 Kms that is open to tourists for the jeep safari. The jeep safari charges are Rs. 1500 for jeep + Rs. 250 for jeep entry charges + Rs. 150 per person Refer to my posts on 12th Jan 2016 and 10th Jun 2014 on Tripadvisor - Rajaji National Park